U.S. patent number 5,746,030 [Application Number 08/762,066] was granted by the patent office on 1998-05-05 for multiple level vault assembly.
Invention is credited to Alfred L. Sannipoli, Sr..
United States Patent |
5,746,030 |
Sannipoli, Sr. |
May 5, 1998 |
Multiple level vault assembly
Abstract
A double depth vault has a floor and opposing spaced side walls
and end walls forming a burial enclosure. An intermediate floor
panel is mountable in the enclosure at a predetermined location
spaced above the floor to divide the vault into a lower burial
chamber and an upper burial chamber. Pairs of aligned vertical
guide grooves are provided in opposing walls of the vault to extend
from the open end towards the floor, terminating at the desired
intermediate floor position. Opposite edges of the intermediate
floor member facing the grooved walls of the vault each have at
least two spaced projecting pins for engagement in the respective
guide grooves as the intermediate floor member is lowered into the
vault. The closed ends of the guide grooves provide stops for
engagement by the respective pins to support the intermediate floor
member at the desired height in the vault.
Inventors: |
Sannipoli, Sr.; Alfred L.
(Temecula, CA) |
Family
ID: |
25064010 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/762,066 |
Filed: |
December 9, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/136; 52/137;
52/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H
13/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04H
13/00 (20060101); E04H 013/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/136,137,134,169.6,19,20,139,236.6,283 ;404/25,26
;220/503,544 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Smith; Creighton
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brown, Martin, Haller &
McClain, LLP
Claims
I claim:
1. A vault assembly, comprising:
a vault having a floor, a first pair of opposing spaced side walls
and a second pair of opposing spaced end walls forming a burial
enclosure having an open upper end;
an intermediate floor member mounted in the enclosure at a
predetermined location between said upper end and floor to divide
said enclosure into a lower burial chamber and an upper burial
chamber;
a removable cover closing the open upper end of the vault;
each wall of at least one of said pairs having at least two spaced
guide grooves extending from said open end towards said floor and
terminating at said predetermined location intermediate said open
end and said floor;
each guide groove being aligned with a corresponding guide groove
in the opposite wall of said pair; and
the intermediate floor member having a first pair of opposite edges
facing respective walls of said one pair of walls, each edge of
said first pair having least two spaced projecting pins engaging in
said guide grooves as the intermediate floor member is lowered into
the vault, each guide groove having a closed end providing a stop
engaged by the pin to support the intermediate floor member in the
vault.
2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each wall of said
one pair has a series of five spaced guide grooves aligned with
corresponding guide grooves in the other wall of said pair, and
each edge of said first pair of edges of said floor member has a
series of five spaced projecting pins engaging in said respective
guide grooves.
3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each guide groove is
of gradually tapering width from the upper end towards the closed
end.
4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each pin has a first
diameter, and the closed end of each guide groove has a width
substantially equal to said first diameter.
5. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein each guide groove
has an upper, open end of maximum width substantially equal to
twice the width at said closed end.
6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate
floor member comprises a flat panel having an upper surface, and a
series of spaced rods secured transversely across said upper
surface, the panel being of predetermined width and each rod having
a length greater than said predetermined width, each rod having
opposite ends projecting outwardly from the opposite edges of said
floor member, said projecting ends of said rods comprising said
pins engaging in said guide grooves.
7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said panel is of
plastic material.
8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said rods are
plastic pipes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to cemetery vaults or
crypts and is particularly concerned with multiple level vault
arrangements to permit multiple, vertically spaced interments of
spouses or family members, for example.
Double vaults are known in which a concrete vault or housing is of
sufficient depth to hold two caskets in vertically spaced chambers.
The vault is interred at the first burial, and the first casket is
lowered onto the lower end or floor of the vault. An intermediate
concrete floor is then lowered into the vault and seats on an
intermediate ledge extending around the inner peripheral walls of
the vault at the appropriate height. A removable cover is placed
over the open, upper end of the vault. At the time of the next
interment, the removable cover is removed and the second casket is
lowered onto the intermediate floor. This arrangement is subject to
some disadvantages since the intermediate floor is heavy and bulky,
and is sometimes difficult to lower flat into position in the vault
without jamming or binding against the walls of the vault. It is
also difficult to lower the flat concrete floor into the vault,
typically requiring two or more workers to lower it by hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and
improved multiple level vault assembly.
According to the present invention, a multiple level vault assembly
is provided, which comprises a vault having a floor, a pair of
opposing spaced side walls and pair of opposing spaced end walls
forming a burial enclosure having an open upper end, each wall of
at least one of the wall pairs having at least two guide grooves
extending from the open end towards the floor and terminating at a
location corresponding to a desired intermediate floor height, each
guide groove being aligned with a corresponding guide groove in the
opposite wall, an intermediate floor member for positioning in the
vault between the open upper end and the floor to divide the vault
into two, vertically spaced burial chambers, the intermediate floor
member having a first pair of opposite edges facing the respective
grooved walls of the vault, each edge of the first pair having at
least two spaced projecting pins for engagement in the guide
grooves as the intermediate floor member is lowered into the vault,
each guide groove terminates at a closed end providing a stop for
engagement by the respective pin to support the intermediate floor
member at the desired height in the vault.
Preferably, more than two sets of opposing guide grooves and pins
are provided and, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, five
opposing pairs of grooves are provided in the opposite side walls,
and five opposing pairs of pins project from the opposite side
edges of the intermediate floor member. Preferably, the guide
grooves are of gradually tapering width from the upper end towards
the closed end, so as to allow the intermediate floor to slide
smoothly down into the desired position without jamming.
With this arrangement, an intermediate floor can be readily
positioned in a horizontal orientation to divide a vault into two
separate chambers. The floor may be of relatively lightweight,
plastic material rather than heavier concrete as was previously
used for double depth crypts or vaults.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be better understood from the following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention,
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like
reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded cut away perspective view of the crypt
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially cut away, of the assembled
crypt;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a double depth lawn crypt or vault assembly 10
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The
assembly includes a one-piece vault or crypt 12 having a floor 14,
a pair of opposing side walls 15,16, and a pair of opposing end
walls 17,18 forming a rectangular enclosure having an open upper
end. A removable cover 22 is provided for closing the open upper
end of crypt 12. The crypt 12 is of sufficient height to provide
two vertically spaced burial chambers. An intermediate floor member
24 separates the enclosure into a lower chamber 25 and an upper
chamber 26.
Intermediate floor member 24 is preferably a flat panel of
relatively lightweight material, such as plastic, while the crypt
12 is preferably of reinforced concrete material. The roof or cover
22 is also of concrete material and preferably has least two spaced
re-bars (not illustrated) embedded along its side edges. The
opposing side walls 15,16 of the vault each have a series of
spaced, vertical guide slots or grooves 28,29, respectively,
extending from the open, upper end of the crypt 12 towards the
floor. Each groove has a lower end or termination 30,31,
respectively, at a location corresponding to the desired height of
the intermediate floor member 24. Each groove 28 in one side wall
15 is aligned with a corresponding groove 29 in the opposite side
wall 16. Although the opposing sets of guide grooves are provided
at spaced intervals along the side walls in the illustrated
embodiment, they may alternatively or additionally be provided in
end walls 17,18 in an equivalent manner.
The intermediate floor member 24 has a series of spaced,
transversely extending rods or pipes 32 secured across its upper
surface such that the opposite ends 34,35 of each rod or pipe
project outwardly from the respective opposite side edges of the
member 24 for engagement in the guide grooves 28,29. The number of
rods or pipes 32 is therefore equal to the number of pairs of
opposing guide grooves 28,29, and the rods are positioned for
engagement in the respective pairs of grooves as best illustrated
in FIGS. 2 and 3. Preferably, the rods 32 are of 1.5" P.V.C. pipe
or equivalent strength material, and are suitably bonded or welded
securely to the panel. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, a series of five pairs of evenly spaced guide grooves
28,29 and five correspondingly spaced rods are provided, although a
greater or lesser number of guide grooves and engaging pins or
pipes may be provided in alternative embodiments. However, a set of
five pairs of grooves and five rods is believed to provide
sufficient support for the intermediate floor and its ultimate
load.
Preferably, each rod is bonded to the flat panel with a suitable
adhesive, and is additionally secured in position by a series of
spaced screws or similar fasteners (not illustrated). Each guide
groove is of gradually tapering diameter from the open, upper end
to the lower end 30,31, with the width across the lower end being
slightly larger than the diameter of pipe 32. Preferably, the
maximum width of the guide groove at its upper end is approximately
twice the width at the lower end. With this arrangement, the
intermediate floor can be readily lowered into position, simply by
engaging the opposite ends of each pipe in the appropriate guide
grooves, and then lowering the floor with the guide grooves
smoothly guiding the floor downwardly into a level or horizontal
orientation when the respective rod ends reach the lower ends of
each pair of grooves, which act as a stop or support for the floor.
Due to the gradually tapering width of the guide grooves, the risk
of the intermediate floor jamming in position before the desired
final position is reached is reduced or eliminated. Another
advantage of the intermediate floor design of a flat panel with
pipes or rods secured transversely across the upper surface of the
panel is that the pipes provide gripping surfaces for easy lowering
of the intermediate floor into position. A hoist or crane device
with suitable gripper claws or clamps is preferably provided for
this purpose. The claws or clamps are secured around two of the
pipes 32, and the hoist or crane can then be actuated to lower the
floor into the crypt. Once the floor is in position, the claws or
clamps are readily released. This significantly reduces manpower in
positioning of the intermediate floor, and simplifies the procedure
considerably.
Instead of providing transverse rods with projecting ends for
engaging the guide grooves, as in the illustrated embodiment, the
intermediate floor may alternatively be provided with other types
of projections at its opposite side edges to engage in grooves
28,29, such as spaced, projecting ears formed integrally with the
plastic panel itself, for example. However, the illustrated
embodiment is preferable since the transverse rods have the dual
purpose of reinforcing and strengthening the floor itself as well
as providing the groove-engaging projections, and providing
gripping surfaces for easy lowering of the floor into the
vault.
The crypt or vault will be typically be of conventional dimensions
for double depth burials, and in a preferred embodiment vault 12
had a length of around 90" and a width of around 30". The five
pairs of guide grooves and corresponding five pipes or rods were
provided at a spacing of around 20" between each adjacent pair of
grooves or rods. The lower and upper vault chambers 25,26 formed by
the intermediate floor each had a height of around 25.5". The side
walls and floor of the vault are preferably reinforced with
conventional reinforcing wire. The vault floor 14 has raised bumps
or projections 38 on which the casket rests, and has at least two
drain holes 39.
The crypt or vault 12 will be interred below ground level with the
intermediate floor 24 and roof 22 removed, leaving the upper end
open. The first burial can then be carried out, lowering the casket
down onto the floor 14. The intermediate floor 24 is then lowered
as described above, until the rod ends 34,35 reach the lower ends
of the grooves, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The roof 22 is then
placed over the open upper end of the vault, and the entire
assembly is covered with turf until it is time for the next burial.
At that point, the vault is exposed and the roof 22 is removed to
allow the second casket to be lowered onto the intermediate floor
24 in the upper burial chamber 26, so that it rests on the
transverse rods or pipes 32. The roof 22 is then repositioned over
the upper chamber, and the entire assembly is again covered with
turf.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
described above by way of example only, it will be understood by
those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the
disclosed embodiment without departing from the scope of the
invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
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